As most of you already know, EMI has liberated it's music from the DRM (Digital Rights Management) monster, and Apple is the first company to support it. Apple will be distributing DRM-free music through iTunes right as soon as they settle their problems with the EU. However, some people don't like being forced into low-quality encoding (128 KB/s AAC) just so they can listen to DRM free music. Microsoft may be the answer to this problem. They are trying to get DRM-free EMI music into their Zune Marketplace, and negotiations are looking hopeful. There is no word as to what encoding this DRM free music will be in.

I can hear a difference between 96 and 128 on most songs - sometimes the sound will get a bit 'fuzzy'. However, 128 has good enough quality for me, and although I can notice the slightest of differences between 196 and 128, it doesn't bother me enough to justify the extra space required.